326 SAI/TING THE BUTTER 



have an opportunity to take up enough moisture to insure com- 

 plete solution. Such butter renders the complete solution of 

 the salt difficult, and is almost invariably gritty. 



Wet Salting Method. In this method the salt is moistened 

 either by pouring water over the dry salt already sprinkled over 

 the butter, or placed into the trench and before working, or 

 enough water is added to the salt in a tub or pail" before 

 the salt is put into the churn, to make a salt mash. In order 

 to secure a satisfactory mash slightly less than one half as much 

 water as there is salt, by weight, should be mixed with the salt. 

 This mash is then distributed over the butter, or placed into 

 the trench, then the trench is closed and the butter is worked. 

 This method of wet salting is very satisfactory and preferable 

 under many conditions to the dry salting method. There is less 

 danger of a coarse, briny flavor, gritty butter and mottles, be- 

 cause the salt is given more favorable conditions for complete 

 solution and the brine formed has a chance to completely fuse 

 with the finely divided water in the butter. This largely removes 

 the difficulties above cited when salting very firm and very 

 soft and slushy butter. 



In churns in which the reduction of moisture is not ac- 

 complished readily, as is frequently the case with certain makes 

 of churns, wet salting slightly increases the tendency toward ex- 

 cessive moisture. This can be readily avoided, however, by drain- 

 ing the butter more competely before salting. If the bottom of 

 the buttermilk gate happens to be located considerably above 

 the bottom of the churn, so that it is impossible to drain all 

 the free water from the churn, the butter should be drained 

 through the churn doors. 



It is frequently claimed that salting lowers the per cent 

 salt retained in the finished butter. This is not borne out in 

 practice. In fact the salt crystals in the mash, because of their 

 ability to go into complete solution quickly do not draw the 

 water droplets of the butter out as much as the dry crystals 

 and therefore are more readily permanently incorporated in the 

 form of brine. 



Brine Salting. In this method the salt is previously dis- 

 solved in water, making a saturated salt solution. In order 



